Windows 10 has been designed with privacy in mind and users shouldn't worry about it, according to Microsoft. The software giant posted a blogpost responding to all uproar regarding the privacy of its latest operating system. Users are mainly concerned about the data Microsoft collects.
In the blogpost Microsoft's Terry Myerson states that during the development of Windows 10 two privacy principles were kept in mind. The first is that Microsoft collects information to improve Windows 10 and the second is that users are in control over the information they share.
Collected data is encrypted when transferred to Microsoft's servers and then stored in what Microsoft calls 'secure facilities'. Microsoft also separates between data it collects and doesn't collect and mentions three different levels.
The first level is safety and reliability data and means Microsoft collects information to provide users with a secure and reliable experience. The data collected includes a device ID, the kind of device and information about crashed applications. The company stresses it doesn't collect content of files from users and that it takes additional measures to prevent names, email addresses and account IDs to end up in the data.
The second level is personalization data which is used to provide users relevant information such as weather at their location or scores of the user's favorite club. Microsoft stresses again that users are in control over the collected data and that users can update their settings at anytime.
The third and last level is about the advertising data that isn't collected. Microsoft states that the content of emails other communication isn't scanned to display targeted advertisements.
Besides the explanation on its data collection, Microsoft also mentions it will change the 'family features' based on the criticism it received. The company makes the default settings more suitable for teenagers and will enhance the notifications that kids and parents get about activity reporting in Windows.
Windows 10 has a parental supervision feature which allows parents to monitor the behavior of their kids. Some parents criticized the feature as they started to receive all kinds of information about the surfing behavior of their children after they updated to Windows 10.
